We'll keep you up to date with creative, inspiring and fun things to watch
During the current situation, our priority is to continue providing essential council services, while protecting the health and wellbeing of our residents.
Local things to see
Intra Arts run a community arts venue with monthly changing exhibitions on display in their windows gallery.
Featuring a changing programme of exciting contemporary visual art, Rochester Art Gallery holds 4 free exhibitions every year which showcase the work of local, regional and international artists.
Rochester Kino is a film collective dedicated to screening classic and cult films at various venues around Rochester and London, with introductions and post screening discussions.
Local things to do
- Nucleus Arts has sites in Chatham and Rochester where artists can create and display their work. Open to the public and free to enter, the Nucleus showrooms are a haven for local art lovers
- Theatre 31, delivered by Icon Theatre, is an imaginative theatre programme with online activities to get involved in for children and young people who live in Medway and on the Isle of Sheppey
- Animate Arts is a national award-winning arts company working creatively with people of all ages and abilities through high-quality participatory art projects
- Medway Libraries provide online reading challenges, free digital books and book readings
- Hulkes Lane Darkroom and Studio in Rochester is a photography space with a darkroom, digital lab, photographic studio and workshop space
- Lyrici Arts is an organisation creating theatre and arts programmes that amplify black and diverse stories
- Wordsmithery is an independent literary arts organisation and publisher hosting various projects and events including open mics, interactive literary games and writing workshops
- Sun Pier House is a creative arts venue offering studio use and a space for generating dialogue and ideas
- The MESS ROOM is an innovative and accessible community space located on the ground floor at Sun Pier House. It specialises in support for those who are blind or partially sighted, and deaf people or those with hearing loss.
- Intra Arts run a community arts venue and maker space with a printmaking studio, kilns for glass, craft equipment and many other tools. They also provide welcoming workspaces where creative classes and workshops are held
- Medway African and Caribbean Association is a non-profit organisation promoting awareness of African and Caribbean Culture through arts, educational and social programmes
- The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a maritime heritage destination home to museum galleries and a changing programme of exhibitions
- The Central and Brook Theatres provide you with the chance to enjoy a range of shows and performances throughout the year.
- Creatabot offers free online creative classes for adults and children
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood read along is a shared online anniversary reading by The Guildhall Museum and Medway Libraries
- Medway Adult Education - free online courses available
- Ideas Test supports everyone in Swale and Medway to take part in arts and creativity through providing community information and virtual workshops
- Rochester Cathedral Tour - join us for a free online Rochester cathedral tour
- Medway Librarians story tell is available to watch on their YouTube channel.
National things to see
Museum resources include:
- National Portrait Gallery’s Young People’s Guide to Portraiture - discover gallery collections, exhibitions, projects and portraiture
- free digital archive from the world’s museums
- V&A online collections to explore
- free virtual museum tours from around the world
- free online museum colouring pages
- virtually walk around famous museums
- activities from a range of museums for children to do at home
- transform your home into a museum
- Smartify app giving you free access to lots of online museum Tours
- garden virtual tours
- Royal Academy Picasso and Paper exhibition free 40min virtual tour
- Explore the British Museum from home
- National Portrait Gallery and the portrait of our nation online exhibition.
- Watch The Royal Opera House's free programme of curated online broadcasts as part of the #OurHousetoYourHouse series - including full-length productions, musical masterclasses and glimpses behind the scenes can be seen for free any time, anywhere across the globe.
- Royal Albert Hall livestream of free concerts by a range of performers.
Watch quality theatre performances online from home.
- The Globe: Shakespeare plays
- National Theatre performances
- Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals
- The Wind in the Willows - the West End musical
More free musicals and plays being streamed by major companies.
National things to do
- Stacks of creative activities for all ages to try at home
- #createtorelate run by Ditchling Museum of Art & Craft with workshops and talks for adults and craft sessions for children
- Join others recreating famous works of art from home using the hashtags #gettymuseumchallenge #betweenartandquarantine on social media.
- Firstsite artist created activity packs - featuring contributions from UK artists. Artists include Anthony Gormley, Gillian Wearing, Idris Khan, Jeremy Dellar, Mark Wallinger and more
- Family history activities to do including family trees, scrapbooks and recipe books
- Royal Opera House's new weekly create and learn activities
- Adult online craft classes - Links to various adult online craft classes from needlework, papercrafts and jewellery making to spoon carving, basket-weaving, candle making and upcycling
- The National Gallery's slow looking at art lessons
- Transform your home into a museum
- National Geographic Children’s activities
- Authors reading their books to children
- Free online museum colouring pages
- Activities from a range of museums for children to do at home
- Join the fun learning activity for children from New Adventures
- Roald Dahl HQ reading and quizzes
- Roundhouse digital events and workshops for young people.
- Watch Matthew Bournes' New Adventures Ballet/contemporary dance at home.
- Take Strictly's Oti Mabuse's online dance classes for free
- Get involved with exercises and resources for some of your favourite New Adventures shows. Perfect for teachers and students, our activities are adapted for those with a general level of dance experience - but anyone can try these at home.
Grants and funding opportunities
Arts Council England assists and invests in a range of activities across arts and culture.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund provides grants for projects within the heritage sector, as well as offers leadership and support.
Open calls and commissions
Creative opportunity for artists to create a range of outdoor temporary public artworks throughout Strood and Rainham town centres in response to the theme of 'Welcome'.
Closing date: Monday 17 January 2022.
Find out more on how to get involved in the Welcome temporary public art project.